Credentials Verification
Primary source verification of credentials is essential for those employees who hold licenses, registrations, certifications, and/or competencies. Verification of credentials is necessary for new hires, as well as existing employees. In a treatment setting this usually applies to physicians, nurses, psychologists, licensed therapists such as social workers and professional counselors, certified substance abuse counselors, and those with college/graduate degrees.

Nondiscrimination
Demonstration of nondiscrimination can take many forms within the organization, but at minimum should include providing equal employment opportunities with respect to all practices and to administer such practices without regard to race, color, veteran status, religion, national origin, political affiliation, handicap, sexual orientation, gender, or age, unless gender or age are bona fide occupational requirements. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 503 and 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pursuant hereto, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 all identify persons in protected classes from discrimination.

Skills and Characteristics of Personnel
Leadership should identify the necessary skills and characteristics needed by personnel to support the organization in accomplishing its mission and goals, and to help clients achieve their established outcomes. Current knowledge and competencies of personnel should be identified. Usually organizations have written job (position) descriptions for all employees (full and part time) that are written in functional terms and provided to the individual staff members. Typically the job (position) descriptions are uniform in format, based on the organization's job classification system, and used as a basis to evaluate the staff member's performance. Leadership should approve the qualifications for personnel who are in professional positions, typically by approving job (position) descriptions. If the organization has consultants, contractors, students, volunteers, interns, or trainees, then these individuals are provided with a written list of their job specifications and expectations, which can sometimes take the form of a job description.

New Employee Orientation
The timely orientation of new employees is usually conducted within the first month of employment. The purpose of the orientation is to ensure that new personnel are trained prior to providing services, and that all employees understand and adhere to internal standards and policy and procedure requirements.